Tips on developing a strategy

“Strategy” means deciding what you want to do; its origins are in the military. Here are some pointers to consider when you need a strategy:

Define your objective

What do you want to achieve?

Understand where you are now:

Audit what you are doing now first

Compare your performance

Look at what other individuals/groups/organisations are doing; quantify it; how do you compare?

Where might you learn from?

Look to the future

What factors are likely to affect you going forward?

Decide what to do

Taking into the account all of the above, how could you achieve your aims? Involve others, have discussions, share your analysis with them, ask them to contribute in shaping it.

Develop an implementation plan

Lay out steps along the way:

· Who needs to be involved?

· What other areas will be affected?

Communicate your conclusions

Use your analysis to illustrate why you need to do something and what you are proposing to do.

Bibliography:

Dash, P: “Tips on…developing a strategy”, BMJ Careers, 29.6.2002, s207